Gear Guy

Q:

What do you recommend in the way of a full-grain leather boot?

Gear Dude, I need to replace my worn out three-season boots, and I haven't had any luck shopping here in England. Im looking for a full-grain, one-piece leather upper and a Vibr sole, with none of these fancy schmancy Gore-Tex linings (I'm kinda old fashioned that way). Can you please help? Aaron Nottinghshire, England

Gear Dude, I need to replace my worn out three-season boots, and I haven't had any luck shopping here in England. Im looking for a full-grain, one-piece leather upper and a Vibr sole, with none of these fancy schmancy Gore-Tex linings (I'm kinda old fashioned that way). Can you please help? Aaron Nottinghshire, England

A:

Aaron, dude, I hate to be blunt, but you must not be looking very hard. The U.K. is awash in good-quality boots that meet your requirements. For instance, online shops such as the Gear-Zone (www.gear-zone.co.uk) offer the Scarpa Ranger, which has a full-grain leather upper, Vibram sole, and Cambrelle liningno Gore-Tex. Its a classic mid-weight boot for three-season hiking. Price is about 100 poundsor about $200. Or, look at the German-made Meindl Borneo Pro (110 pounds), which also has sturdy leather upper and classic construction that doesnt include Gore-Tex. The Borneo Pros have a heat-sensitive memory foam in the lining that helps the boot conform to the shape of your foot.

Raichle Mountain Guide GTX Boot

Mountain Guide GTX Boot

This past summer, Ive worn several boots with Gore-Tex liners and have softened my stance on them. I still dont really think them necessary, but I can see the utility, and I dont see a great difference in boot comfort versus non-Gore-Tex footwear. So I wouldnt hesitate to recommend Raichles Mountain Guide GTX, a boot of about the same weight as the Ranger or the Borneo, with the addition of a Gore-Tex liner. It has full-grain leather uppers, a Vibram sole, and a removable midsole. A very nice boot. Cotswold Outdoor (cotswoldoutdoor.com) sells them for 120 pounds.

Youll get up to the Lake District, yes? Great hill-walking there. I did some bike-touring there many years ago and get a little misty-eyed when I think about it.

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